Research Journal of Biological Sciences
ISSN: Online 1993-6087ISSN: Print 1815-8846
Abstract
Pulmonary hypertension is a relatively common cardiac complication in thalassemia. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of it in patients with thalassemia intermedia, so that we could find a solution for ameliorating it in the future. This is a descriptive study on patients with thalassemia intermedia referring to Booali thalassemia research center, Sari, Iran. All patients who were more than 10 years of age and underwent echocardiography enrolled in the study. Some relevant variables such as age, sex, age of the onset of transfusion,, … were recorded. Evaluation of PA pressure was done by a pediatric cardiologist based on pulsed Doppler echocardiography. All gathered data analyzed by SPSS13 using descriptive statistics, Pearson and spearman correlation coefficient and nonparametric tests. Fifty patients, ages 11-56 years (27.8±9.9) including 25 male and 25 female were screened by echocardiography. All the patients had normal LVEF and RVEF (equal or more than 65%). Eighteen (36%) had normal mean PA pressure (equal or less than 20 mm Hg). Thirty two (64%) had mild pulmonary hypertension (m PA pressure = 20-40 mm Hg). None of them had moderate and severe pulmonary hypertension. There was significant correlation between duration of hydroxyurea, age of splenectomy and PHT. As pulmonary hypertension is common among the thalassemia intermedia patients, it is therefore important to select, according to clinical and lab. data, patients with thalassemia who should receive transfusions and iron chelation early in life, so that this keeps the hemoglobin level near to normal and protect them from high cardiac output.
How to cite this article:
Fariba Rashidi Ghader and Koroush Vahidshahi . Evaluation of the Prevalence of Pulmonary Hypertension in Thalassemia Intermedia.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/rjbsci.2008.794.797
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1815-8846/rjbsci.2008.794.797